A monk is someone who chooses a life of service often through religious asceticism, living alone and dedicating time to prayer and meditation.
This lifestyle rooted in ancient traditions is found in many religions like Buddhism, Jainism and Christianity.
Monks known as nuns in female form vary in their practices. Some focus on community service especially in Asian regions with Jainist and Buddhist influences while others in the Western Christian context serve God.
To become a monk one must usually study the religion’s teachings, spend time in a monastery and take vows.
The path varies slightly between Buddhist and Christian traditions.
Here is a collection of the most inspiring Monk quotes.
Monk Quotes
If I had not been a monk, I would have become an engineer. ~ Dalai Lama.
To a monk, every day is a journey inwards, seeking inner peace. ~ Unknown.
Meditation can be a barrier or a key depending on your mindset. ~ Frederick Lenz.
Happiness will never come to those who fail to appreciate what they already have. ~ Gautama Buddha.
Be like a tree. The tree gives shade even to him who cuts off its boughs. ~ Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.
One of the books that has guided me in the last ten years of my life to help me to be that leader is the Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh’s Being Peace. ~ Sandra Cisneros.
Do not try to fix whatever comes in your life. Fix yourself in such a way that whatever comes, you will be fine. ~ Jaggi Vasudev.
A monk’s extraordinary patience can be a hindrance to desperate decision-making. ~ Harsha Bhogle.
The interesting thing was that the Roman Catholic monks and the Buddhist monks had no trouble understanding each other. ~ Joseph Campbell.
But God will show mercy, though you show none. And where is the merit of your boasted virtue? ~ Matthew Gregory Lewis, ‘The Monk’.
Do one thing at a time, and while doing it put your whole soul into it to the exclusion of all else. ~ Swami Vivekananda.
The path of a monk is lit by the lantern of mindfulness. ~ Unknown.
Also read: Buddha Quotes
Best Monk Quotes
As Buddhist monks, our task is to bring ourselves resolutely more and more into light, to forgive and forget, to forget those who create problems for us because to remember them is only to keep problems in mind. ~ Frederick Lenz
If they consider me a simple Buddhist monk, however, that’s probably okay. ~ Dalai Lama
When you move your focus from competition to contribution, life becomes a celebration. ~ Gautama Buddha.
I am a simple Buddhist monk. ~ Dalai Lama
I was initiated as a Buddhist monk at the age of 19. ~ Frederick Lenz
As rain falls equally on the just and the unjust, do not burden your heart with judgments but rain your kindness equally on all. ~ Gautama Buddha.
And this, monks, is the noble truth of the origination of dukkha: the craving that makes for further becoming accompanied by passion & delight. ~ Gautama Buddha
Drunken monk, kick a rhyme off a Ballantine. ~ Inspecktah Deck
A monk’s heart is a sanctuary of silence, where wisdom whispers. ~ Unknown.
No blame, no reasoning, no argument, just understanding. If you understand, and you show that you understand, you can love, and the situation will change. ~ Nhat Hanh.
Monks know the art of living simply yet profoundly. ~ Unknown.
My imagination is a monastery and I am its monk. ~ John Keats.
A monk’s journey is a silent testament to the power of faith. ~ Unknown.
Pain is certain, suffering is optional. ~ Gautama Buddha.
Be more humble than a blade of grass, more tolerant than a tree, always offering respect onto others and never expecting any in return. ~ Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.
To be a monk is to have time to practice for your transformation and healing. ~ Thich Nhat Hanh
There are Christian monks and nuns who already use Buddhist methods in order to develop their devotion, compassion, and ability to forgive. ~ Dalai Lama
I describe myself as a simple Buddhist monk. No more, no less. ~ Dalai Lama
A Buddhist monk has a responsibility first and foremost to themselves, and that’s to find the truth each day in every part of their life. ~ Frederick Lenz.
See Also: Thich Nhat Hanh Quotes
Famous Monk Quotes
We are all basically the same human beings, who seek happiness and try to avoid suffering. ~ Tenzin Gyatso.
When I was a teenager, I wanted to be in a group, or I wanted to work for Greenpeace, or I wanted to be a Buddhist monk. ~ Dave Wakeling
A Buddhist monk has a responsibility first and foremost to themselves, and that’s to find the truth each day in every part of their life. ~ Frederick Lenz
Buddha’s first admonition to the bhikkhus or monks was to go forth into the world and work for the welfare of the people. ~ A. T. Ariyaratne.
Firstly, as a Buddhist monk, I hold that violence is not good. Secondly, I am a firm believer in the Gandhian ethic of passive resistance. And thirdly, in reality, violence is not our strength. ~ Dalai Lama.
Some Thai Buddhist monks have compromised with the kind and possess cars and other luxuries. ~ Sulak Sivaraksa
Liberty is the first condition of growth. It is wrong, a thousand times wrong, if any of you dares to say, ‘I will work out the salvation of this woman or child. ~ Swami Vivekananda.
I describe myself as a simple Buddhist monk. No more, no less. ~ Dalai Lama.
Monks show us that in quietude lies the key to understanding the universe. ~ Unknown.
Life can be found only in the present moment. The past is gone, the future is not yet here, and if we do not go back to ourselves in the present moment, we cannot be in touch with life. ~ Thich Nhat Hanh.
My other ideal is more like the Buddhist monk. ~ Madonna Ciccone
If you seek security in life, unknowingly you seek death. The only truly secure place is your grave. ~ Jaggi Vasudev.
If I say, ‘I am a monk,’ or ‘I am a Buddhist, these are, in comparison to my nature as a human being, temporary. To be human is basic. ~ Dalai Lama
Originally, I was interested in athletic pursuits like snowboarding, martial arts, and surfing. When I went to the Himalayas and met a number of Buddhist monks, I was introduced to a new way of looking at life. ~ Frederick Lenz
How can a monk with a voice lie?” ~ Misba, The High Auction.
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Top Monk Quotes
Talk to yourself at least once in a Day…Otherwise you may miss a meeting with an Excellent person in this World. ~ Swami Vivekananda.
In the monastery’s stillness, monks listen to the wisdom of the ages. ~ Unknown.
Monk there was, one of the finest sort, An outrider; hunting was his sport; A manly man, to be an abbot able. ~ Geoffrey Chaucer, The Canterbury Tales
Forgive and be free. Forget that you have forgiven and be freer. ~ Gautama Buddha.
Buddhist monks have known for centuries that meditation can change the mind. ~ Richard Davidson
Firstly, as a Buddhist monk, I hold that violence is not good. ~ Dalai Lama
Take up one idea. Make that one idea your life ~ think of it, dream of it, live on that idea…This is the way to success. ~ Swami Vivekananda.
A monk finds harmony in solitude and strength in serenity. ~ Unknown.
In the simplicity of a monk’s life, lies the complexity of spiritual awakening. ~ Unknown.
I nourished that kind of desire until the age of sixteen, when I had the permission from my parents to go and ordain as a Buddhist monk. ~ Thich Nhat Hanh
A monk’s life is a tapestry of prayer, discipline, and compassion. ~ Unknown.
If you let cloudy water settle, it will become clear. If you let your upset mind settle, your course will also become clear. ~ Gautama Buddha.
From my own personal encounters and studies with both Tantric and Zen Buddhist monks, I have found them to be humorous, warm, charming, and compassionate. ~ Frederick Lenz
The Buddha also counseled the monks and nuns to avoid wasting any precious time by engaging in idle conversation, oversleeping, pursuing fame and recognition. ~ Thich Nhat Hanh
If a man going down into a river, swollen and swiftly flowing, is carried away by the current — how can he help others across? ~ Gautama Buddha.
Why do you expect reward in heaven for that? No, saintly monk, you try being virtuous in the world, do good to society, without shutting yourself up in a monastery. ~ Fyodor Dostoyevsky
Short Monk Quotes
With every mindful step, a monk walks closer to enlightenment. ~ Unknown.
Frustration, discouragement, and depression mean you are working against yourself. ~ Jaggi Vasudev.
Though a fool spend all his life with wise men, he will know the truth no more than a spoon knows the taste of the soup. ~ Gautama Buddha.
Some consider me as a living Buddha; that’s silly. That’s wrong. ~ Dalai Lama
I am simply just one monk. That’s all. ~ Dalai Lama
Perhaps the old monks were right when they tried to root love out; perhaps the poets are right when they try to water it. ~ Olive Schreiner.
The life of a monk is healing. ~ Frederick Lenz
I just want to live as a simple Buddhist monk. ~Dalai Lama
In the rhythm of their chants, monks find the melody of the soul. ~ Unknown.
It’s probably even the case that if you stoked up some Buddhist monks with tons of testosterone, they’d become wildly competitive as to who can do the most acts of random kindness. ~ Robert M. Sapolsky
A monk should surely love his books with humility, wishing their good and not the glory of his own curiosity… ~ Umberto Eco.
From my own personal encounters and studies with both Tantric and Zen Buddhist monks, I have found them to be humorous, warm, charming, and compassionate. ~ Frederick Lenz.
Some consider me as a living Buddha….hat’s silly. That’s wrong. If they consider me a simple Buddhist monk, however, that’s probably okay. ~ Dalai Lama.
Monk Quotes and Sayings
Buddha’s first admonition to the bhikkhus or monks was to go forth into the world and work for the welfare of the people. ~ A. T. Ariyaratne
The fool who thinks he is wise is just a fool. The fool who knows he is a fool is wise indeed. ~ Gautama Buddha.
Ardently do today what must be done. Who knows? Tomorrow, death comes. ~ Gautama Buddha.
True and lasting inner peace can never be found in external things. ~ Gautama Buddha.
Peaceful and kind one monk is more valuable than violent and rude ten thousand men!” ~ Mehmet Murat ildan
Monks teach us that true richness lies in the wealth of the spirit. ~ Unknown.
The sign of intelligence is that you are constantly wondering. ~ Jaggi Vasudev.
Celibacy is one of the most unnatural things. It has destroyed so many human beings – millions – Catholic monks, Hindu monks, Buddhist monks, Jaina monks, nuns. ~ Rajneesh
To be a monk is to have time to practice for your transformation and healing. And after that to help with the transformation and healing of other people. ~ Thich Nhat Hanh.
The secret of health for both mind and body is…live the present moment wisely and earnestly. ~ Gautama Buddha.
Our own brain, our own heart is our temple; the philosophy is kindness. ~ Tenzin Gyatso.
There are even Buddhists monks who say the Tamils should be eliminated. ~ Sulak Sivaraksa
You haven’t partied until you’ve partied at dawn in complete silence with Buddhist monks. ~ Cameron Diaz.
Inspiring Monk Quotes
Many people, including Buddhist monks, spend thousands of hours sitting in what they call meditation. In reality, what they’re doing is thinking and ruminating upon their problems. ~ Frederick Lenz
The gift of knowledge is the highest gift in the world. ~ Swami Vivekananda.
The robes of a monk clothe a soul dedicated to the pursuit of inner peace. ~ Unknown.
Do not be the judge of people; do not make assumptions about others. ~ Gautama Buddha.
Perhaps the old monks were right when they tried to root love out. ~ Olive Schreiner
Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them humanity cannot survive. ~ Tenzin Gyatso.
A rich entrepreneur who lives a simple life with his family while helping as many people as he can, is more monk than a monk who lives a secluded life in a monastery meditating and begging. ~ Abhijit Naskar, ‘Monk Meets World’.
Mindfulness helps you go home to the present. And every time you go there and recognize a condition of happiness that you have, happiness comes. ~ Nhat Hanh.
Just studying Buddhism, then meditating and going to Buddhist monasteries, talking to Buddhist monks, combined with the Thai people themselves, changed the way I look at the world. ~ John Burdett
Three things cannot be long hidden: the sun, the moon, and the truth. ~ Gautama Buddha.
In the quiet of the monastery, every prayer feels like a conversation with the universe. ~ Unknown.
I certainly haven’t lived the life of a Buddhist monk. ~ Burton Cummings.
Thoughtful Monk Quotes
A mind unruffled by the vagaries of fortune, from sorrow freed, from defilements cleansed, from fear liberated — this is the greatest blessing. ~ Gautama Buddha.
Those who cling to perceptions and views wander the world offending people. ~ Gautama Buddha.
When a young Celtic monk saw his cat catch a salmon swimming in shallow water, he cried, The power of the Lord is in the paw of the cat! ~ Brennan Manning, The Ragamuffin Gospel
Meditation is not just blissing out under a mango tree. It completely changes your brain and therefore changes what you are. ~ Matthieu Ricard.
Your success is not measured in terms of what all you obtained but in term of what you become, how you live and what actions you do. Upon this point reflect well and attain great happiness. ~ Swami Vivekananda.
Everything that happens to us is the result of what we ourselves have thought, said, or done. ~ Gautama Buddha.
I’m a Tibetan monk, not a vegetarian. ~ Dalai Lama
To stop suffering, stop greediness. Greediness is a source of suffering. ~ Gautama Buddha.
As the bee collects nectar and departs without injuring the flower, or its color or fragrance, so let the sage dwell on earth. ~ Gautama Buddha.
Frequently Asked Questions about Monk
A monk is a person who practices religious asceticism and lives a monastic life and dedicate his life to serving others. This process involves abstaining from worldly pleasures for spiritual growth. Monks can be found in various major religions, including Buddhism, Jainism and Christianity.
Monks devote themselves to serving communities and people or a deity by associating their spiritual growth with service. Their activities vary depending on their religious tradition. For instance, in Asia, monks often engage in community service while in the Western world many Christian monks commit to serving the Christian God and live in monastic communities.
The process of becoming a monk varies by religion. For Buddhism, it involves studying Buddhist teachings, finding a teacher, developing a meditation practice, spending time in a monastery and taking vows. In most Christian traditions, the process includes visiting a monastery, becoming a novice, then a postulate, taking temporary vows and finally committing to full monastic vows.
Not necessarily. While some monks embrace a solitary life of prayer and meditation, many live in communities with other monks. Their lifestyle choice depends on their religious tradition and personal spiritual journey.
In modern English, the term “monk” typically refers to men while “nun” refers to women. Both follow similar paths of religious devotion and service but their roles and designations differ based on gender.
So that’s all for this post on Monk quotes. I hope these quotes will bring peace and serenity in your life.
